One class of semiconductor devices gaining prominence in the data packet communications industry is referred to as non-programmable packet forwarding processors (NLFP). These devices, as compared to conventional network processors, are inexpensive with relatively high performance, but lack flexibility and programmability. One reason for this is that the devices are mass-produced with economies of scale. However, these same economies dictate the support functions in mass market systems. The major drawback is that features associated with “long-tail” or niche applications are not supported. Examples of these NLFPs include devices manufactured by Broadcom, such as those marketed and designated under the name Trident™ (BCM56XXX), and Intel, such as those marketed and designated under the name Fulcrum™ (FM2000, FM4000).
For historical and market reasons, these devices are optimized around functionality related to Layer 2 switching. The broad prevalence of Ethernet switching has made it an attractive point of optimization. It is difficult, if not impossible, to implement highly-scaled Layer 3 routing functionality in these devices when such functionality is new and complex, such as in new forms of VPN functionality or IPv6. Advanced and differentiated functionality requires the use of more expensive and power-consuming network processors.
In the rapidly changing networking industry, it would be optimal to leverage the low-cost and high forwarding capacity of these NLFPs to make a cost-effective system design while implementing some of the advanced capabilities and flexibility of network processors. This is particularly true in the data center space. As data centers expand and take on more complexity with virtualization, they require traditional switching silicon to provide more scaled and diverse functions.
Accordingly, there are needed methods and devices that can be utilized with conventional NLFPs to provide these devices with some advance capabilities (as those provided in expensive and programmable network processors).